Daniel Ricciardo: “I’m happy to move forward with these guys to be better next year”

Infiniti Red Bull Racing driver Daniel Ricciardo believes his team ended the 2015 Formula 1 season on a high note during last weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The Australian finished in sixth, just missing out on fifth place behind former team-mate Sebastian Vettel after the Ferrari driver proved too strong in the race.

“Top 5 would have been a bit sweeter,” said Ricciardo. “But I couldn’t hold off Seb, whom we expected to get past us more towards the end of the race.

“I held him off for a lap and then, especially on those Options, his pace was so much quicker. I tried to get Perez, but couldn’t get close enough. At the start I had a sniff at Hulkenberg and went for it and that paid off. Parts of it were fun.

“I would have liked more battles though, but it looked quite spread out. It’s a circuit I enjoy fighting on. I have confidence in the big breaking zones here. I think we ended the season well and feel I got the most out of the car, so I’m leaving the season more happy than I was a few races ago.

“Sixth is probably not that representative of how good our weekend was, but I’m pretty pleased. I would love to go racing next weekend but at the same time I’m happy the season is over and I’m optimistic that next year will be better. I think we ended the season with a lot more feeling and confidence in the chassis.

“This season has made us stronger as a unit and I’m happy to move forward with these guys to be better next year.”

Ricciardo finished only three points behind Red Bull team-mate Daniil Kvyat in the Drivers’ Championship with a total of 92 points, which was enough to secure eighth place for the Aussie. Overall Red Bull secured fourth in the Constructors’ Championship with a total of 187 points.